This is a fantastic chapter. It is so easy to focus almost exclusively on Rusty's hurt (which is obviously horrific and my comments aren't meant to minimize that at all) but the emotional abuse that Danny suffers is so insidious.

His soul and spirit are being slowly, painfully dissolved, eaten away by the acid of neglect and contempt and anger. It's such a sharp contrast to the quick, hard immediate violence of Rusty's existence.
It's so sad because Danny...oh Danny...always holds out hope that his parents will do the right thing, will tell him they love him, are proud of him. That hope is what makes Danny great, but it leaves him vulnerable to hurt. I believe he thinks it's worth the risk, but like in canon, with Tess, it gives home something to lose...and with every loss do those old wounds reopen? It's a testament to his strength of character that he's not bitter

The flower metaphor was brilliant but heartbreaking. Danny handing his mother that bouquet along with his heart and she leave it withering on the counter on exchange for the roses (glamorous, expensive, but given as a gesture not heartfelt).
While the lawyer is gross (sleeping with a client is a big ethical violation, the creep) I was surprised to see him admonish Barbara about playing the blame game and then calling her selfish. Not that she will take any of that to heart and change. She seems to be totally incapable of self reflection, or change or any type of personal growth.

You've written about Danny's mounting frustration over the injustice in the world so well. Love that from his perspective he is forced to let it all go (especially Rusty's abuse) but Rusty knows he doesn't ever let anything go. His retest strength and greatest vulnerability. Love that Rusty understands this.

Love the break in at the garden shop and ADORE the justice delivered in garden gnome form to that horrible Juliet Darcy. Also, the title made me giggle.

For me, this was a key chapter with Danny taking a critical step towards becoming the man we see in canon.
Really excellent work.

It warms my cold cold heart to read a fic like this. Knowing that Rusty had a friend like Brady, who isn't and could never be Danny, makes feel a bit easier in my mind.
-
Love the wonderful kindergarten teacher who brought them all cupcakes and so happy that Rusty got a little taste of Christmas. My heart broke when he got berated in front of everybody and thank goodness for Brady. I honestly don't think I could have recovered if that nasty woman had taken Rusty's lunch away.
-
Adore this chase scene. I think it must be a hard thing to write well. Even at seven Rusty is working out all the details and has an exit strategy. He disappeared mysteriously to get this set up, right?
-
Argh... The laryngitis. Age 9 was not a good year for Rusty was it? I officially nominate the substitute teacher to the ranks of your über villians like Bryn, Dr Hans and Rusty's dad. I think Brady earned official hero status as well.

-
Age 12 ...oh this one was sheer brilliance. The details are mastered. The timing, the soccer game, the magazine article. I'm sure Brady was nervous, but this stuck me as a happy con...no bad guys, no angst, just the joy of the con and the pleasure of helping a buddy.

-
Confidence... This one was tough. You really nailed the bullying personalities. My least favorite bully is Lisa. What a B*#%. Horrid to Brady and then vicious to Rusty. Would like to see what Danny has in store for that one. Rusty would never tell, but I bet word gets around...

-
And last but not least, Spartacus. Perfect ending. And Brady got his wish from the end of Confidence. And Brady is right, Rusty is the friend you'd never forget.
Really really good story.

Oh, man, it had to come at some point, but this was a rough chapter. That seems to be a theme in the stories of yours I'm reading today... I would like to reiterate my constant refrain that Danny's mother is the worst. She should never have been a mother, which is very different from saying, as she did, that Danny should never have been born. The fact is, if she didn't achieve what she wanted to, that's on her, and Danny's just a convenient scapegoat. Eventually, Danny will be able to really believe that, but for now, I'm just so sad for that poor boy. And of course, for Rusty, and his life of constant physical violence.

I'm glad the boys were able to come up with a plan for life, and that Danny could reassure Rusty that he wanted him forever. That Rusty doubted that must be killing Danny, but he'll have years and years to make sure Rusty really believes it.

Something that really jumped out at me was when Rusty asked "you're thinking something stupid again, aren't you?" I loved it because Danny was, and Rusty knew that, but at this point he didn't know exactly what the stupid thing was. It shows that they're still developing into the Danny and Rusty we know and love from the movies. Their telepathy thing that drives Linus so crazy was a long time in the development, ages spent with only each other to rely on, and they aren't quite there yet, and I really liked that you showed that.

I just read this entire story. I cried and I laughed; and even though this is longer than a lot of full books, it is even better than a lot of those too. Your writing style is amazing and I love your work. Please keep posting on this story; however take as much time as you need before inspiration strikes, or you just feel like it.

Goddammit, I was all set to review chapter nine, and I found out I already reviewed it, so I'm screwing myself over for a review for chapter 50, because I had Important Things To Say about Chapter 9. (Spoiler: they were not at all important, but I already wrote the review and everything, so here is my Very Important review for Chapter 9). See, now what I want is a fic in which Buzz Fairley's life has gone to hell, and then these two mysterious but devilishly handsome guys sweep in and fix everything for him by less-than-legal means. At which point he - not unreasonably - demands to know what the hell is going on and they tell him that once upon a time he helped them cover for a kid who was grieving for his dad and offered to protect a kid who had fewer people than he should have to protect him, even if it was a misguided offer. And being good like that, being fair like that means he deserves a better hand than the one life has dealt him, and they're here to rig the deck in his favour. Because they pay their debts, and this one's got outstanding interest on it.

In other news, I absolutely love this fic, and I must be re-reading it for the tenth time at least. This chapter was a masterful look into both these characters and how they deal with bereavement and supporting a loved one, and it just felt so beautifully in character and right, you know? Thanks again for a great fic, and a wonderful chapter. Going to read the rest now!

About the Hitchhiker/Good Omens fic. Wowbagger planned his insults in advance, and he certainly didn't resort to swearing when he was at a loss, which didn't happen.

caroline chapter 50 . 6/27/2014

I just found your stories, the more things change series. i stayed up til 6 am reading them all night. I shouldve reviewed chapter by chapter or at least story by story but I just could not stop reading for one second until now. This universe of stories is so completely amazing. I can almost not even think right now because i was so floored by this writing.

Adjusting is my absolute favorite story out of any fandom on this entire website. It may be better than any novel I read. Actually, I even really truly liked that story more than any of the actual ocean eleven movies. Your take on their universe is so beautiful and complex. I dont know how you did it.

I love it because of how protective Danny is. Rusty is written so interestingly and it is really heartbreaking stuff but you wrote it all so well. The angst is perfect and really got an emotional response in me. I liked Adjusting because I like the time period that its set after they move while Rusty is still in school. Would you write more in that time, somewhere after adjusting when he's still in school? I liked the whole concept of that because its funny and so cute to imagine them going off to college and high school but all the while being like adults after all theyve been through. Like an adult going back to high school so funny. But its really cute to think about.

Theres just something about Rusty getting beat up and having Danny take care of him that I just cant get enough of. Its so sweet. I would read it all day long. I also liked the one where Rusty had a date that left him on the side of the road. I would like to read more high school time period ones where Rusty gets into trouble and Danny takes care of it or Saul is there.

I feel like Im going to pass out now because of part the overhwleming amazing emotions that this series of rusty stories has brought out, and part because I stayed up too long to read it all. Thank you so much for writing this stuff and know that you have another huge fan here now who will be reading vigorously from now on anything you post in this fandom.

No, haven't forgotten Chapter 47. In case you *ever* think that would be possible.

Always interesting to see an outsider's perspective and here we are, going through the crooked game alongside the marks but with the absolute knowledge of what is really happening.

And this feels exactly the right sort of obnoxious (expletive deleted) that they will be going after all their life. Or at least one of their future marks' underlings. Cruel and picking on the underdog and outsmartable. Huh. Sudden thought that they might know Dan. Glad for Doug that they can sort it for him because can absolutely see the excitement in the older cousin coming to stay quickly disintegrating into the worst of times.

Smiling so much for Danny with the moustache. As always. And giggling for Rusty ripping it away at the end *just* at the moment when Danny thinks he's overcome with sentiment. Funny. And Danny can always play older and Rusty can always play younger. Especially in this fic. Do not think it would have worked so well the other way round whatever Rusty says, even though that's more about the way Danny's feeling.

Love Buzz helping them. And definitely Rustyprotective and sigh for everything Danny is feeling and can't show. "Paragon of self-control" indeed. Love the moment when Rusty is going to bite back. Tough to hold on to character when you're not made to roll over.

And it is a difficult con for Danny. Not the mechanics but the way he has to treat Rusty which is against everything that's in him and possibly the first time he's had to act this kind of part? Question mark's there because this is mtc. Also because you're going to remind me of something really obvious. And it won't be the last but the knot in his stomach is understandable.

Also, sense the talent show might be a true story. What *did* Daisy Smith use? ;)